I set out on the journey to run the London Marathon over two years ago, before anyone had heard of COVID and at a time when no one could imagine the strange way in which all our lives have changed since.

At the time, I decided to to support the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), having lost two grandparents and many other members of my family and friends to this terrible disease.

In the meantime, I have now gone through full training three times and last year completed 26.1 miles (42.2km) in the first Virtual London Marathon.  I have also had the devastating news that yet another very close member of my family is now dying from Cancer.

The training schedule this year has been a lot harder than last time - around three months ago I had a fall and broke a rib; it wasn't clear at that point whether I'd be able to continue - it was certainly painful to run for a few weeks and for a good month afterwards it felt like I had a permanent stitch every time I ran.

Regardless, I am blessed to be able to run at all, and anything I have overcome has been insignificant compared to the suffering of those who have been affected by cancer - it's something that has kept me going through the hardest of the training.

I appreciate that I have been raising money for this for a while and I am so grateful for all the support and sponsorship already given.  Over this time, the need for support for Cancer Research has only increased, and so I have thrown myself in to run this first post-pandemic London Marathon.  I am deeply thankful for any donation you are able to give - and even if you have given previously, I urge you to go a bit further as I am trying to do for this amazing charity.

Thank you so much,

James

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